MANILA( REUTERS)-Nearly a fifth of hospitals in the Philippines are close to full capacity as a surge in Covid-19 infections, driven by the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus, spreads across the South-east Asian country, the Health Ministry said on Monday( Aug 9). Coronavirus cases in the Philippines, a country of 110 million, have been growing at a rate of around 8, 000 to 10, 000 infections a day over recent weeks, above the daily average of 5, 700 cases reported last month, accordin

MANILA( REUTERS)-The Philippines reported on Friday( Aug 13) its second-largest daily increase in Covid-19 infections, providing more evidence of how the virulent Delta variant may be spreading and ramping up pressure on the country's already stretched healthcare system. Hundreds of hospitals in the country are nearing full capacity, with some facilities reporting they have run out of intensive care unit beds for Covid-19 patients, leaving health care workers, who are forced to work longer hours